


Phoenix

by Xochiquetzl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-27
Updated: 2006-08-27
Packaged: 2017-10-05 05:50:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xochiquetzl/pseuds/Xochiquetzl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus is wounded in the final battle with Voldemort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Phoenix

Severus limped away from the battle, clutching his arm. He paused for a moment to spit on the Dark Lord's corpse. His mouth was dry, and it was a challenge to work up the moisture to spit, but it was worth the effort. If only he weren't so dehydrated, he might have pissed on the corpse as well. He held his wand in his mouth for a moment so he could raise two fingers in disrespect, then took hold of his wand and turned away.

He needed to rest a moment before he could apparate. He needed cover. The forest wasn't far, but his leg didn't support his weight very well and his arm was useless--not his wand arm, fortunately.

He was breathing hard by the time he reached the edge of the forest, and he leaned against a tree for support. He didn't dare sit down; he was afraid he wouldn't get up again if he did.

He looked back at the battlefield, and saw Lupin walking towards him, looking purposeful.

He staggered away, crashing into a tree. He kept going. He was slow, though; he'd never get away. He tried to apparate.

The forest wavered for a moment, then returned.

"Severus!"

Severus turned to look. Lupin was running now. Severus turned back and kept moving away, unsteady, listing to one side with his injured leg trying to collapse under him.

His leg finally gave out and he fell, trying to turn his body so he wouldn't land on his injured arm. He ended up lying on his back, pointing his wand at Lupin.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Lupin said.

Things were getting dark and fuzzy, so Severus lowered his wand.

* * *

He woke up in a bed, under a sheet with a floral print.

It was dark, lit only by candles, and his arm and leg were wrapped in cloth. The cloth smelled faintly of burn-healing paste.

Lupin was asleep in a chair next to the bed.

Severus raised his head and looked around. There was a bezoar on the nightstand next to his wand. Runes were painted onto his bare chest, and he had a protective amulet around his neck.

He looked down at his bandaged arm, and wiggled his fingers. Much better.

Lupin snored.

Severus closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

* * *

A snore woke up Severus. It was dark, but he could feel the weight of another body on the mattress--someone was lying in bed with him, presumably Lupin.

Lupin snored again. Severus kicked him.

Lupin jerked upwards, making a startled noise.

"You're snoring," Severus said.

Lupin babbled something and fell back down on the pillow.

Severus sighed. "Roll over."

Lupin shifted onto his side. He snored again, a tiny little snore.

Severus rolled over, away from Lupin, and slept.

* * *

When Severus woke up, the sun was shining through the drawn curtains and Lupin wasn't there. He was thirsty, so he sat up, slow and careful.

He was naked. He stood, and walked over to the door anyway.

He opened the door, and looked down the hall. He didn't see anyone or hear any voices, so he walked towards what he hoped was the kitchen.

Lupin was sitting at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper. He looked up, and stood. "Should you be out of bed?"

"Thirsty," Severus said.

"Please," Lupin said, "sit down, and let me get it."

Severus sat. Lupin filled a glass with water, and brought it over. Severus drank it, practically in one gulp, and handed the glass back.

Lupin raised an eyebrow, and went to refill the glass.

"How long did I sleep?" Severus said.

"Almost a week." Lupin's voice sounded casual, but his body tensed at the answer. "I've been keeping you hydrated with spells." He placed a full glass of water in front of Severus.

"Why?" Severus picked up the glass and took a large swig of water.

Lupin shrugged. "Are you hungry?"

Severus shook his head. He took another sip and looked around the room. His eyelids were starting to droop.

"Back to bed with you," Lupin said.

Severus stood, and wobbled a bit on his feet. Lupin rushed towards him, probably intending to help, but Severus glared and Lupin stopped short of touching him. He walked back to the bed, slowly, with Lupin following him closely. He sort of fell into the bed, and Lupin pulled his legs down to the foot of the bed and tucked him in.

* * *

There was knocking at the door. Loud, persistent knocking. Granger's voice called, "We know you're in there!"

Lupin sat up, and said, "I'll get rid of them." He pulled on a robe, and shut the bedroom door on his way out.

Severus heard the door open and shut, but couldn't make out the conversation apart from Lupin protesting loudly, "I'm fine!" From the sound of it, Granger had Weasley and Potter with her. After some time, Lupin succeeded in fending them off and returned to the bedroom.

Severus raised an eyebrow.

"They were just concerned because Nymphadora's run off with Charlie."

Severus was momentarily paralyzed at the thought of having to come up with something comforting to say.

Lupin lay down next to Severus. "It's my fault, of course. I'm not much of a catch. Too old, too poor, no job, always moping about being useless... I suppose she finally believed me."

Severus patted Lupin's shoulder, feeling awkward.

Lupin reached over, and traced Severus' collarbone with a finger.

Severus cursed his current physical state, and reflected that when he said the inevitable no, Lupin might think that he was being ethical and sensitive, rather than exhausted.

"Sorry," Lupin said, pulling his hand back.

"It's not that I mind," Severus said, "and more that..."

"I know."

Severus wasn't sure he did.

"Say something," Lupin said.

All Severus could come up with was, "I could use a bath, and something to eat."

Lupin stared at him for a moment. Then he said, "If you can make it into the bath yourself, I can bring sandwiches."

"All right," Severus said, and sat up. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and walked across the hall to the bath. He sat in the tub and turned the water on, then sniffed his armpit and made a face. He started unwrapping the bandages around his leg. It was still a bit burned, but much better. He tossed the bandage into a bin and started unwrapping his arm, which was still rather nasty-looking.

Apparently, his Dark Mark was gone, burned away in the Dark Lord's last hex. Or perhaps it was because the Dark Lord was dead. He should probably be relieved, but he was too tired to muster up an emotional response.

Lupin entered the room with sandwiches on a plate and a glass of water. He sat on the floor next to the tub and handed Severus the plate. Severus started to eat, and Lupin picked up a sandwich, too.

"Are you well enough to travel?" Lupin said.

Severus made an interrogatory grunt around his food.

"It's her flat. She says I can stay as long as I like, but I don't feel comfortable..." Lupin appeared to be addressing the floor.

Severus stopped chewing for a moment, then swallowed. "I have a house, but I doubt it's safe to return there."

"I don't want to live on your charity, either," Lupin said.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "At the moment, I'm the one living on your charity. Were I to go to Saint Mungo's, I'd likely be arrested."

Lupin sighed, and Severus started eating again. They finished their sandwiches in silence.

Severus closed his eyes.

"Do you need some help?" Lupin asked.

Severus nodded.

Severus heard Lupin open a drawer, but didn't look. There was a splashing, and then a warm, wet washrag was rubbed over his chest, followed by soap and the washrag again.

"Have you considered muggle work?" Severus said.

"Tried that," Lupin said, scrubbing Severus' armpit. "I'm ill more often than they like." He leaned over and washed Severus' other armpit. "Where will you go?"

"I'm not sure," Severus said. "Someplace... not like here. Mexico, perhaps."

"Do you speak Spanish?" The washcloth travelled down Severus' side, down his legs.

"I know a translation spell."

There was a pause while Lupin washed between Severus' toes, and then he said, "I speak Spanish."

They looked at each other for a long moment.

* * *

Lupin seemed surprised at the suggestion that they should go to a museum their first day in Mexico City, but he didn't say anything. They dressed in jeans and shirts--Severus' black, of course--and headed out to the Museo Dolores Olmedo.

There was a stone gateway, and gardens. The walls were startlingly white, with a dark ceiling and gray stone floor. And the art...

Severus was strongly drawn to a painting by Frida Kahlo, of a dark-haired woman, bare-breasted, wrapped in a sheet, with some kind of harness nailed to her body and a broken column for a spine. He stood in front of it for a long time.

After, in the hotel, Lupin said, "I never took you for an art lover, Severus."

"There's something about the unflinching way she paints pain," Severus said, his voice soft.

Lupin leaned over and kissed him, his lips warm and soft. Severus decided that if they were going to be together--and they clearly were--it was time.

Severus pulled away and pulled off his shirt, then leaned over and tugged at Lupin's. He shivered slightly in the air conditioning as Lupin pulled his own shirt off.

They lay down together, and Severus ran a finger along a scar on Lupin's chest. They kissed again, long and slow. Lupin's skin was surprisingly soft under his hands, somehow both familiar and new. Lupin fumbled with the fastening of Severus' trousers, and Severus reached down and pulled them off himself, giving Lupin an expectant look until he did the same.

Severus wrapped his hand around Lupin's cock, and they stroked each other as they kissed. Lupin's cock was almost velvety in his hand, warm and heavy, and Lupin made a soft noise in the back of his throat.

They were speeding up now, oh, so good, but not going to last. Severus considered slowing things down, but no. There was always next time for slow, and this time he wanted... oh, God, Lupin was good at this. And then Lupin was coming, hot on his cooled skin. Lupin's hand slowed down for a moment, and then sped up again, and... yes, perfect.

Cooling semen was surprisingly cold in the air conditioning, so they ducked under the covers. They weren't cuddling, obviously. They were huddling together for warmth.

"I think I'm going to like this," Lupin said.


End file.
